Yoga classes affected as the COVID-19 outbreak (Guidance attached)

Yoga studios in Newcastle started to adjust their classes due to the worsening spread of COVID-19 (previously known as “coronavirus”).

COVID-19 has now infected over 150,000 people worldwide, with 2,626 cases confirmed in the UK as of 4pm on March 18. And five of them confirmed in Newcastle.

To limit the spread of this virus, the public were told to avoid social settings, such as pubs, restaurants and theatres. Yoga studios have also been regarded as one of the “dangerous” places. Many people practice in a confined space, increasing the risk of viral infection.

Faced with health risks, yoga studios have made difficult decisions.

The Yoga Station, a not-for-profit community studio located in the Whitley Bay, decided to close on March 16.

Nick Constantine, the yoga teacher of The Yoga Station said that all of his yoga classes were canceled for the foreseeable future. He advised his learners to take this time to develop their own personal yoga practice, and he will post personal practice recorded online to guide them.

Another yoga studio called “Happy Yoga Newcastle” have made the same decision, closing the studio until Easter.

Jo Hutton, the founder of the Happy Yoga Newcastle posted a statement on Facebook and said: “ The decision to close the studio is the responsibility to look after one another. And this decision is terrifying, I still have rent to pay, and to be honest I don’t know how that’s going to happen.”

In order to maintain the livelihood of the yoga studio, Jo decided to throw herself into working on the online community. She developed different online charging standards and will be live streaming way more yoga classes.

YogaTherapies, a yoga chain with four studios across Newcastle, launches free online membership to their attendees. People who sign up until March 31 can get free access to all recipes available on their blog, as well as online video content.

They do not cancel the offline classes completely, but decide to reduce studio based classes and reduce class sizes. Meanwhile, hands on adjustments are banned and the standards of hygiene are higher.

And staff members of YogaTherapies are optimistic about operations during the COVID-19 outbreak. They believe people can gain health benefits from yoga.

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Besides, a meditation-focused studio named “Dragonfly Gong Yoga” has not made any changes to their offline classes, but they attached public health guidelines from NHS (National Health Service) on the homepage of their official website to educate practicers.

Apparently, yogis’ practice will be affected somewhat in the near future. But yoga practices can also be done at home with high quality. Here are 3 basic yoga postures recommended to practice at home:

1. Downward-Facing Dog

Press your heels down, hips back up, and push the sitting bones to the highest point;

Press the heel down hard, straighten the knee and tighten the thigh muscles;

Open your fingers and push hard on the ground.

(For beginners, bend your knees and pull your sitting bones back.)

2. Cat stretch pose

Kneel and stand on the mat in the form of four corners, separate the two legs with hip bone of the same width, keep the arms and legs perpendicular to the ground, extend the ten fingers of both hands to the outside, and point the middle finger to the front;

Inhale, raise your head, stretch your spine, and look up 45 degrees. Exhale, relax your shoulders and sink. Keep breathing;

Exhale, bow your head and arch your back, and look at your navel;

Inhale, return to quadrangle.

3. Child’s pose

The abdomen is close to the thigh, the chest is on the knee, the forehead is close to the ground, and the eyes are closed to relax the facial muscles. Breathe evenly.

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※ I am a yoga enthusiast, but not a professional or qualified trainer. All demonstrations can not be used as professional guidances and advices. If you look for yoga instructions, please contact with professionals.